U.S. median for this major: $61,935.
College Scorecard field of study; 164 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 38% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $23,457.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $31,638. College Scorecard.
University of South Carolina-Columbia Political Science: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Political Science nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses University of South Carolina-Columbia's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $12,634 | $52,178 | 1.6 years |
| $30–48k | $14,953 | $61,756 | 1.9 years |
| $48–75k | $19,859 | $82,018 | 2.6 years |
| $75–110k | $24,478 | $101,094 | 3.2 years |
| $110k+ | $28,125 | $116,156 | 3.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (69% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Political Science graduates 4 years after graduating ($65,464) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in SC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $31,948 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Political Science at South Carolina colleges
Every South Carolina college we cover that reports Political Science graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Furman University | $74,476 | $27,000 | $30,308 | 79% |
| 2 | Wofford College | $68,661 | $26,825 | $18,732 | 84% |
| 3 | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | $68,504 | $20,817 | $20,723 | 75% |
| 4 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | $65,464 | $25,000 | $22,811 | 79% |
| 5 | Clemson University | $64,822 | $21,000 | $22,253 | 87% |
| 6 | College of Charleston | $58,955 | $26,000 | $18,960 | 66% |
| 7 | Presbyterian College | $57,154 | $27,000 | $20,528 | 51% |
| 8 | Coastal Carolina University | $53,948 | $26,000 | $13,966 | 48% |
| 9 | Lander University | $50,079 | $23,718 | $15,363 | 50% |
| 10 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | $47,796 | $30,000 | $13,557 | 43% |
| 11 | Francis Marion University | $44,803 | $27,000 | $11,386 | 43% |
| 12 | Winthrop University | $43,566 | $27,000 | $15,343 | 57% |
| 13 | Claflin University | $40,910 | $27,000 | $17,800 | 52% |
13 more South Carolina colleges offer Political Science but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Political Science graduates
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Social Science Research Assistants
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at University of South Carolina-Columbia, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of South Carolina-Columbia
- Acceptance rate: 60% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 79% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $62,177
- Full cost breakdown · all 77 majors · overview
Related majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia
- Economics$77,536
- Social Sciences—
- Sociology$53,293
- International Relations$54,781
- Anthropology$42,758
- Geography$59,472
University of South Carolina-Columbia Political Science questions
How much do University of South Carolina-Columbia Political Science graduates earn?
Political Science graduates of University of South Carolina-Columbia earn a median $65,464 four years after graduating and $33,157 one year after. The U.S. median for Political Science graduates across 561 colleges is $61,935.
How much debt do University of South Carolina-Columbia Political Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Political Science graduates of University of South Carolina-Columbia is $25,000, about 38% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,457.
Is University of South Carolina-Columbia a good school for Political Science in South Carolina?
On pay, Political Science graduates of University of South Carolina-Columbia earn $65,464 four years out, $8,310 above the median for the same major across 13 South Carolina colleges ($57,154) and $3,529 above the U.S. median ($61,935). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of South Carolina-Columbia rank for Political Science in South Carolina?
Of 13 South Carolina colleges reporting Political Science graduate earnings, University of South Carolina-Columbia ranks 4th. The highest is Furman University at $74,476.
What jobs do Political Science graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $60,280 in the Columbia, SC area and $72,040 nationally. Others include social science research assistants.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of South Carolina-Columbia Political Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-south-carolina-columbia/majors/political-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).